Alabama Irrigation Summit productive for farmers in a 'dry' state

Dennis Bragg stands near one of the center pivot irrigation systems that he irrigates his crops with in Madison County. (File photo)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The irony of a summit on irrigation happening during one of the wettest stretches this summer didn't escape Sam Fowler, director of the Auburn University Water Resources Center.

Wednesday's summit in Montgomery was to help inform the state's farmers on the importance of irrigation systems and their potential to boost the state's economy.

"It is interesting that it has rained lately and we're in a severe drought, but this summit was geared toward a long-term solution," he said.

The summit was also needed because of the scarcity of irrigation in the state. There are just 120,000 acres of land under irrigation, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Industries, about 1/10th of the amount in either Mississippi or Georgia. This is an alarming figure in that the state has 2.5 million acres of farmland that can be irrigated.

More than 200 people attended the meeting at the department headquarters in Montgomery, and it was streamed to 33 other locations in the state, Fowler said.

Dr. Dick McNider, professor emeritus at UAH's Earth System Science Center, and state climatologist Dr. John Christy of UAH were instrumental in the summit, he said. McNider is also the head of the Alabama Irrigation Initiative.

"Well over 300 people viewed it or attended," he said. "I had people come up to me and say it was the most positive meeting they've been to in 10 years. It was a very successful meeting and we had a good dialog with farmers."

In the past, the idea of irrigation was scoffed at - primarily for its cost, which would be thousands of dollars. And that led to another debate, Fowler said.

"Power cost was an issue," he said. "The cost of electrical equipment versus diesel equipment."

Now, cost of the equipment isn't as much of an issue because of the high price that commodities have been bringing lately.

"The commodity prices are at the highest points in many, many years," Fowler said. "The time is right to expand with the commodity prices up."

He also said the most productive part of the summit was when the farmers were talking to each other about their practices and experiences.

"Dennis Bragg (of Toney) was very good," Fowler said.

Bragg, the moderator on a panel of farmers who shared their experience, has had an irrigation system at his farm for several years and also created a holding pond on his property. Fowler said Bragg encouraged the farmers to start small.

"Farmers usually adopt something by observing what their neighbors do," he said. "Dennis told them don't be intimidated by the huge systems - start small with one pivot; then add another, then another."

Overall, Fowler said the farmers were able to take home information on tax breaks for irrigation systems plus having their concerns and the challenges they face heard.

"It turned out better than I had thought," he said. "Now, we've got an opportunity to do it (irrigation) right."